Council Watch-Everyone is hooked on something

Hooked on Mary Jane
Today's meeting started the same way. Mayor Mallory giving the standard admonishment to potential speakers to be respectful, or else. The proceedings were several minutes late in starting. 2 people spoke out against the legislation proposed by Cecil Thomas, which would increase the fines for people caught with small amounts of Mary Jane. The first one spoke of aids and cancer patients who seek relief from their pain and symptoms by taking a toke. Both speakers said the traffickers are the ones they should be going after. I say amen to that. According to the New York Times article I read yesterday Marijuana users are slower physically and mentally than non-users. I just thought you would want to know.

Hooked on Justice
The next speaker was a young woman who said it was the one-year anniversary of her niece’s death today. Her niece was the young woman who crashed and was thrown from her car as she was driving down I-75 last year around 10 PM and laid dying on the side of the road till an RN found her dead, the next morning on her way to work. This young woman lay there dying just 20 feet from the officer’s car who pulled over to report the car as abandoned and oversaw the towing of the car. This policeman did all this from the comfort of his cruiser. He never even got out of the car. If he had, he might have noticed the keys were still in the ignition, the windshield was broken and was sprayed with blood, and the young girl's purse was still in the car.

So you ask why was this lady addressing the council? Her family would like to see the city police force to enact a procedural change. They would like to see a procedure similar to the county's that requires an officer to physically search 65 yards in either direction of an accident that happens near an overpass or ditch. If this procedure were on the books then that young girl's life would have probably been spared. How can we assume that you say? The autopsy showed that girl was alive at least 3 hours following the accident. The officer came upon the girl’s car just 20 minutes after the accident.

So for your sake and mine that girl's family would like to see a change. They have been saying this for a year. There has been no movement on this request in the intervening year. The family is holding a memorial vigil tomorrow, outside city hall tomorrow at 5 PM. (They are holding the vigil tomorrow because they believe she did not die till after midnight on the 24th. This is the day they recognize as the anniversary of her death.) You are invited to join the family for the vigil.

Hooked on the Banks
Former Vice-Mayor Minette Cooper addressed the council. She spoke on behalf of a myriad of organizations. She stated" we would like to go on record in support of the bill by various Cincinnati leaders for a more comprehensive process to determine the selection of the master developer" [of the banks.] In addition to request for qualifications (RFQ), we feel it is imperative that our leaders both city and county require a request for proposals (RFP) before making a final decision.

In the regular council meeting the only notable bit of business was the vote by council to pay the 6.5 Million dollar settlement to the Owensby family. The Mayor expressed that this will bring closure to the Owensby family; they can begin to heal their wounds. The city as well can have closure and move forward. He added that you can not put a price on human life.

Hooked on Fishing
The council lumped a bunch of motions together and voted on them. One of the motions was to authorize the City Manager to apply for a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources called, "Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs" which will provide funding for fishing trips and aquatic educational activities, etc. (Insert your own joke here.)

Hooked on Louisville
After the business was finished Crowley made an announcement that he is planning a tour of Lousiville on April 27th with their Metro Council to discuss how their Metro Council works.
I'm not sure what the Metro council is but my suspicion is that it is a form of county/city government. If you know for sure, feel free to let us know. If you want to go along with Crowley let him know. The more the merrier. Till next week...I'll be hooked on feeling.